Anyone with eyes open knows that the gangsterism of Wall Street -- financial
institutions generally -- has caused severe damage to the people of the
United States (and the world). And should also know that it has been doing
so increasingly for over 30 years, as their power in the economy has
radically increased, and with it their political power. That has set in
motion a vicious cycle that has concentrated immense wealth, and with it
political power, in a tiny sector of the population, a fraction of 1%, while
the rest increasingly become what is sometimes called "a precariat" --
seeking to survive in a precarious existence. They also carry out these
ugly activities with almost complete impunity -- not only too big to fail,
but also "too big to jail."

The courageous and honorable protests underway in Wall Street should serve
to bring this calamity to public attention, and to lead to dedicated efforts
to overcome it and set the society on a more healthy course.

289 Comments

Today I was holding up a sign saying "I'm part of the 99% and I will not stay silent" while I walk the halls of my school, I also had this website on the sign encouraging people to look it up. Tomorrow I'm doing it again but this time a few more people will do it with me. I hope by the end of the week or month the majority of my school will be holding these signs with me at festival park in Fayatville,NC along with other people i dont kno lol. I'm telling everybody I get a chance to about this. I'm also trying to fly to New York to be in the protest and to do a journal about it and try to put it in my local newspaper.

FYI- A student walkout is bbr eing planned for October 5th to bring attention to the beginning of the "End The Machine" campaign in DC starting the 6th. You may want to try and organize that if you are unable to make it...

Yes I know, but comments were just made in the thread (that appeared on the front page of the forum section), I peeked in on it & some kid is being berated by some conservo-fucktard ... so what else is a guy to do?? :)

But yes, now that I notice, it wasn't the dumbass who made the offensive comments who just posted (to quote the barely literate philosopher Rick Perry, OOPS) :)

Are you an adult? Stop mocking the young person who is bravely getting involved in their democracy...not to mention that, having gone to school with plenty of private school educated students, you'd never know the difference. What is different is the time, resources and money that people have access to, which has everything to do with wealth distribution in communities. Plus, this increased time and access to resources does not preclude privileged students from engaging in degenerate behaviors, it only makes it easier. Public schools work just fine in Germany at all levels and public schools are what made America great. The problem is that the money is disproportionately spent on administration and there is a lack of centralized curriculum. If private institutions keep giving special privilege to the wealthiest Americans, they will help to turn their esteemed institutions into sub par ones. Just because one has money does not mean they are brighter than those who do not. In fact, its often the opposite.

SwissMiss, i'm an English teacher, so i appreciate grammar just as much as you do, maybe more, but please, i beg you, this is not a Grammar Forum, it is a Revolution Forum, and we need to be welcoming and accepting, not critical and rejecting, there is no other way around it.

Please bring your heart into the movement, and try to keep your critical thinking for other opportunities where it can serve a better purpose. We need to unite, we need to be strong. No one is free until we're all free, and that starts with us. You seem like a smart girl, please use your intelligence for positive gains. The only way we can overcome the madness, is if we put our own madness aside and focus on what we have in common, rather than the things that separates us.

There is Power in Peace that passes all understanding...and it is ours for the making.

I have a problem when people accuse others of being stupid and they can't spell write or use proper grammar and punctuation. So, I had to call them out on it. Some people need to be called out to wake up. Honey doesn't win in every situation. I've tried that before.

What if we spent our energies creating a planet we can live on rather than living out our, possibly, conditioned destructive responses?

What if the 1% is counting on us to take ourselves down so they don't have to worry about it?

What if we are all of value no matter what pain and/or choice we are reacting from?
What if we all worked together – all of us?
What if each of us activated the courage to start rather than wait 'for the next guy'? and joined together?
I think it's time, so we have a world to live on and in and don’t destroy ourselves or our planet - what about you? …What else is possible?

That's awesome. It's also good to try and maintain a sense of humor and question WHY some people feel the need to have so much more than everyone else? Watch the documentary The Top One Percent. Is it fair that people should be able to live off of inherited wealth, or does it seriously undermine the value of work and social contribution? What are the ways that we can better serve each other? Check out the guaranteed basic income movement, which is working toward allowing people to be paid by the government to do work in their communities...it's an interesting concept. Best wishes!

wow...........never in my life seen so much fucking whining!!! If you people actually put the effort into working and helping our economy grow as you do blaming everyone else for the worlds problems, we might actually fix this country!!! He/she has more money and stuff and I do. Are you fucking kidding me? It is the American way,. Go out and stake your own claim. Work for what you want. Achieve what you want. You can live your life as comfortable or miserable as you want. But for now, drink a nice big glass of SHUT THE FUCK UP...ALL OF YOU

Well, people already told you what you are. May i just add that we are in this predicament because of idiots just like you, who apparentle are unable or unwilling to see beyound one inch from they hollow skulls.....

yeah, i say, you take your noxious drink and gulp it down yourself. Your ignorant, unclued, and out of touch. until you wake up and realize your azz is pwned and owned by corporate oligarchy... we are fighting FOR you.

Corporate America and Capitalism keeps this country running!! This country is great...if you want something work for it and go get! In this country we can make as much money as we want and build a empire of money if you are lucky enough. And I will invest the money back into the USA to keep it running. So everything that I have worked for I am supposed to spread around so everyone is equal? Take another hit off of your crack pipe. Everyone has the same opportunity in this country to get their piece of the pie and if you happen to be an illegal immigrant, black or another type of foreigner..you have more resources and opportunities than I do. If you think that is not true...fill out an application for Government assistance for college. Fill it out first as a white male...then fill it out as an African American Woman, Native American etc...and see who has more opportunities for free money. The white male...which I am....will not even come close to the same amount of offers as the other candidates. Yeah, thanks affirmative action. Now it is reverse racism. No need to give it to the best candidate. Why should that matter? Just give it to a someone who is not white.

Oh, shut up you self-absorbed, ignorant, asshole. Sticking your tongue up the ass of the corporate elite may win you brownie points in the office, but in America the people are fed up with the continuing war on the middle-class & poor! Instead of mindlessly repeating the propaganda of a radio drug addict/spokeswhore for the corporate elite, why don't you read a little history about what happens when scumbag "royalty" make it a point to demolish a society. They ALWAYS fall and decimate their own pathetic, morally bankrupt lives... Fucking moron. No wonder Wall Street is so massively incompetent - all of it's rimming toadies are incapable of coherent thought.

Too many people in this country think they are "entitled" and stand there with their hand out waiting for the Government to help them because they failed to think for themselves or try and help themselves. What the hell do you think the immigrants that came over here from Europe did. No money, no job, not quite sure how they were going to make it. Did they stand there and bitch about being kept down by the man, no. They knew that this was and still is the land of opportunity and they staked their own claim and did what was necessary to become successful. So much welfare and government aide has ruined this country. Now we are even giving money that we don't have not to our own American citizens but to ILLEGAL immigrants in this country. It is time to Google the word "illegal". If the meaning of that word has changed please let everyone me and everyone else know. I have known and worked with far to many people that became citizens of this country the legal way and what do you know? They even pay taxes! Try taxing an illegal. Well we need them to do the work that what???...that lazy American's won't do. Well if the choice was starve to death or go work in the grape fields, I guess there would be some people picking grapes. But everyone just keep standing on Wall Street and protesting while the rest of us "work" today. If this country is so bad and just so dreadful to live in....get the fuck out!!! Head to Canada or anywhere else and see if you can sign up for another countries "free money" to immigrants. Oh wait, that does not exsist. BRING BACK REGANOMICS!!!! Hell Jimmy Carter was not as bad as this idiot is in the White House.

How unfortunate that Mr stopthewhining cannot address the fact that the bush administrations have left a financial black hole that no president or heroic american self made man could get out of very easily. The same blinkered thinking is to be seen in my country, UK, where it is politically incorrect in many circles to say how profligate and irresponsible with peoples' lives ('it's the economy stupid') were the previous years of the Labour Party's governance.
Here in the UK the apparently left wing will not denounce their own choice of government for the pile of faeces left on the front lawn, with the stink that that entails; and in your country,USA, the republicans, many of whom incidentally thought Tony Blair was .... and i quote an unnameable CO of a top American firm, 'a fucking communist', .... the republicans do not have the humility to acknowledge what a mess they have made of their own country.
It would be comical if it did not have repercussions that involve the continued impoverishment of those most affected, and most often already disenfranchised by the cash economy as realised and practised thus far in the development of human business/social organisation.
Oh and by the way, Jimmy Carter gave the go ahead for Indonesia to invade and indiscriminately kill people in East Timor after the result of a democratic election. He got on the plane and left Indonesia before the invasion though.....
Perhaps Mr stopthewhinig will now become a genuine admirer of Jimmy Carter.

Also, the people who are protesting on Wall St. you know, the IT developers, the 700 airline pilots, the Union Laborers and other workers.. you know, the lazy Americans. Man, how much did they pay you to spew this ignorant nonsense?

Let's just focus on one thing at a time - illegal immigrants - if you simply practice what you preach - read up on social security and illegals - they fuel it - how you might ask in your absolutely ignorant brain - well - they get hired, the employers pay for the SS based on the amount of employees, even if they're illegal, but since they are illegal, they never collect, hence inflate the SS by billions. But don't take my word for it.. google it. Now lets get to Reaganomics - it inflated the national debt by 140%... oh yea, let's bring it back. Let's just get back to the illegals for a single moment - how much do you pay for an apple picked by someone who works 12hrs per day, with no vacation and no weekends off, no healthcare either? Now imagine the very same apple picked by an American getting paid more than minimum wage, paid overtime for anything over 8hrs per day, benefits and paid vacation. Case closed? hmm... nah, let's just say that you are worried about those same immigrants taking your job... well, if you're worried about someone who's usually illiterate in your language, without higher education and with no other skills ... well, no wonder you're posting such retarded comments. I suggest study economy and history for a bit, look around you and see what the real problem is - tax breaks and bailouts for bankers who in turn give themselves billions in bonuses. If you're an american, an average American, working 12hrs per day, sometimes more... you know, like the immigrants that you so gracefully criticize, you can hardly make ends meet... how's that even possible. Now... Obama, Bush, Reagan, Clinton - no difference and if you think otherwise, you're simply too naive and caught up in the garbage that the mainstream media is trying to sell you. Obama hired Wall St. goons for the White House and for the FDA he hired an ex Monstanto employee - do you even know what Monsanto is? The US foreign policy and the policy of corporate and military industrial complex has been destroying its economy for the past 70 years, if you think that this is something that happened in the past two, four, eight or twelve years, you are simply retarded.

"If this country is so bad and just so dreadful to live in....get the fuck out!" No, And if you were a real patriot you would be down to face and FIX the problems. Your anti American, because you won't admit the problems or face them you are condemning America to mediocrity and humans in general to extinction. Like all passive aggressive wingnut manipulator con scammer codependents everywhere, the solution is not to blow up the relationship. The solution is to actually address and fix the problems.

the problem is not the people you so easily diabiloze, it is the simple fact of an ongoing caste war and caste system which is wrong, and which must be changed. it is the habit of fascism to find assorted public enemeies to tout. nobodies talking about illegal immigrants here but you. With your red crayons and devil horns your painting on them. Fascism is a disease, and truth is the cure. You have it bad. Go read a textbook on sociology.

So....You MUST by Government health care....it does not matter how hard or how much you work you must take your wealth and give it away so everyone has an equal share...wait, Big Government will tell you what to do, what to think, how to act......Is that Facsim or Marxism??? I am not sure. But that is the reteric I hear from the Facist you elected

what is it about and what is it for. Everyone that has been interviewed that are protesting really have no idea why or what they are protesting. So you don't like it that banks made a profit and the billionaires got a little richer? Really? And that is going to stop? Always has been that way and always will be.

If you are clueless as to what many banks did to cause the financial meltdown, which really put this country into a tailspin, then you need to become aware. THAT is partly what it is about. It's also about corporations controlling our politics, corporate personhood, politicians being criminals and NOT representing the people, and the like. Educate yourself, please, before making asinine accusations. It's NOT about companies making profits. It's about companies getting away with crimes and those in charge NOT being prosecuted for them while making millions and millions in bonuses after they have bankrupted their companies, asked for government (taxpayer) bailouts, and then all of the rest of us having to foot the bill.

If you are OK with all of the above and more, then you are just as guilty.

The financial and foreclosure meltdown is a direct result of Bill Clintons housing bill that allowed people to buy homes they had no business buying and could never afford after 5-7 years because EVERYONE should have the opportunity for a home. Even if they could not afford we can't tell them no because then the banks are racist and don't want to give mortgages to African Americans, Latino's etc....Why do you think that most of the mortgages all failed within the same 12-15months? Count back the years and it is tied right to that bill that Clinton put into law. There is no denying that. And then everyone that is now in foreclosure because they owe a huge balloon payment wants to say...."they did not tell us this stuff"...so once again not taking responsibility for your own actions. Sorry we did not read it to you like a 5 year old child. And didn't you wonder why you could afford such an expensive home on what little you make? Did the banks take advantage of people, well I suppose they did and should be held accountable. But if people signed it without reading it, well I guess that is there fault. With all of the tariffs and taxes we put on all corporations it is no wonder they move out of this country because they can have their products made 5 times cheaper in Mexico or China. Can't blame them for that...that is just smart business. And when a Union wants to push a company to pay an employee $25 an hour to turn a wrench at a Ford plant and that is their only job...wow, I wonder why Detroit looks like a ghost town. Thanks UAW you priced yourself right out of thousands of jobs. Unions served their purpose in the 40's thru the 60's. Now they are just as corrupt as some of the politicians and serve no purpose anymore other than to make companies take their business elsewhere. But our great leader Obama is a huge Union supporter. Thanks buddy. Take a look at how they are hurting jobs or does all of campaign contributions make you blind to it? Follow the plan that Regan had back in the 80's and turned the stock markets around and our economy and that will put us on a track to where we should be. Rather than try to raise spending in every proposal you take to the Senate and spend money we don't have, reduce the government, cut so many of the ridiculous programs. Best way to make sure everyone in this country pays their fair share of tax. Make it a flat tax rate across the board for everyone. Everyone pays 25%. Then the person making $40k a year will pay their share and the person making $500k will his appropriate share. No tax laws, no tax loopholes

So, if I sell you my used car, knowing that it needs a lot of repairs and is very dangerous to drive, and you don't get it checked out before buying it or don't have me sign a legally binding explanation of everything that is wrong with it, and then something happens to you after you buy it and drive it.... does that take the responsibility and blame away from me for not disclosing to you what is wrong with it while knowing what is wrong with it?

Should you have been more careful about buying my used car? Yes.... but that still doesn't take away the blame and responsibility from me and makes me the one who is most guilty.

Perhaps you were trusting me to be honest about the car, and that's why you didn't check it out. Maybe that's not the best approach, but it doesn't excuse me from knowingly selling you a dangerous car. It makes me the dishonest person who took advantage of you and then caused you harm.... and there is NO EXCUSE for THAT. It makes me evil and greedy.

And the banks had nothing to do with the meltdown.... right. Reagan, Daddy Bush, Clinton, AND Bush 43 are responsible.... not just Clinton. They ALL added to the deregulation of the financial industry. Many banks and financial companies ARE TO BLAME as well. Are you suggesting that ONLY people of color lost their homes from foreclosure?

And, if someone doesn't have enough income to buy a house, car, or other big ticket item, yes, it is naive and irresponsible to try and do so, but when companies are completely open to handing them loans that they can't pay for, those companies are NUMBER ONE RESPONSIBLE.

Both politicians AND the greediest of the greedy at the top of banks, financial institutions, and big corporations ALL are guilty and are responsible for the meltdown.

So what your saying is the companies that are just handing out the money are the only ones responsible? The people taking the money knowing full well there is no way they can pay it back...they have no responsibility for their actions? Are you kidding? So if I go to a car dealership right now and buy a car that I know is going to be repossessed in about 6 months...the car dealership holds all of the blame? I have no responsibility in that at all? Really? It is up to me and everyone else to know their own budget and what they can afford and know every word of the contract that they are about to sign. You just can't sit back and claim ignorance. The banks are only doing what the law dictated that they do. Make money available for everyone. Should be the banks have given it out? Probably not to alot of people but the catch 22 is if they refuse, the next thing you know is people are crying and wanting to sue because they could not get a loan. NO, color does not matter. I saw plenty of white people in the streets also. When someone fails, is foreclosed on or has something repossessed take responsibility for it, man up for lack of a better term, and do what is necessary to make sure it does not happen again and the first thing to realize...don't live above your means

I never said the people getting the loans aren't responsible, did I? But, if the lenders were doing WHAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO DO, instead of being criminals, the people wouldn't have gotten the money, would they have??? And saying that the banks and other lending institutions were forced to give out such loans is complete bullshit. Companies were happily doing whatever they could to make money.... like giving out shifty loans and then selling them off in order to get themselves out of the loop and not be responsible and so they made money off of them. To say that the banks and other lending institutions had their hands tied is fucking crap.

The first step to correcting problems is admitting when systems do not work. You sound angry, though it seems like your not sure with what or whom. The fact is that millions of people have been hurled into poverty BECAUSE of the unethical actions of the finance industry. They have gotten away with it because our government allowed them to. This is not good governance, as it wrecks the legitimacy and efficacy of government. It would behoove you dear sir to stop yelling and read about the history of this country and the principles it was founded on. In the meantime, don't count on any one staying silent:).

Stake a claim of what? What is left to claim? We have charted every corner of this planet, and you can bet it is nearly bought and paid for already. Even our water is quickly becoming their water. By the way, Americans may have opportunities, but at what cost? Many heap praise on this global economy, but who does it benefit? Many people work, and work hard, with no sign of improvement for them or their families. Many drank the cool-aid with 401k's over pensions, only to see their wealth dwindle to nothing. Did they not work hard enough for you? Ah well, the American Dream (actual dreams may vary, in case of an American Nightmare, America will not be responsible for unemployment, failed retirements, lost houses, or general poverty).

I AM employed and working for what I want. The reason I support what is happening is because I haven't seen a raise in 3 fucking years yet the cost of living keeps rising. Stopthewhining and Lookatmema are trolls and should be kicked out of these forums. The only thing they have to say is to tell us to 'shut the fuck up' and 'get a job'. If they are a part of the 1%, they are scared of losing what they have. If they aren't, then I feel sorry for their uneducated, mass media brainwashed asses.

And just to reiterate an example of the "profit over people" mentality of Corporate America: A juvenile secure facility with a medical staff on-site recently opened contract negotiations to the lowest bidder to finance said medical staff. The lowest bidder was a staffing corporation with zero understanding of the medical needs in the facility. The reason this company was able to bid lowest and get the contract? They cut the staff's pay by $5/hr and cut their medical, dental, and holiday pay. Things they were used to living with/by and it was pulled out from underneath them.

I also work but do get regular raises and annual bonuses, but most people don't.... and I am for EVERYONE who works getting fair raises and bonuses, based on their contributions (legal contributions, that is.... not taking multi-million dollar bonuses while you lay off hundreds and thousands of people from your company and while allowing your company to go bankrupt and then asking for a government/taxpayer bailout). Another thing I object to is how property taxes can continue to go up while home and property values go down. How can this be.... property taxes raise but home/property values go down? Is that not contradictory? I think that also should be a supporting point under the main focuses of this protest.

agreed, and it's probably dangerous to admit this, but I work for the state. its because of the economy crisis that I haven't seen even a cost of living raise in the last 3 years. However, I was told by someone else who knows another state employee who did get a 1% raise this year. I am betting (because I have no proof) that he laid off enough employees in order to get it.

Ah, yes, I am not aware but I for one have NO intention of standing out in 104 degree weather...it will not get any ones attention in this town. People are too busy watching the dude who travels around on his bike wearing a thong and baseball cap. No, it has not been taken down and from what I see there are plans to demonstrate on October 6th in Houston, Dallas, Austin.

Looks like there is one planned for tmorrow Wedn. There seem to be 200 people signed up. But you are right, at lower temperatures it will be more effective. Time is on our side and the south should take over the baton when there is winter up north...

Is it fair to live off of inherited wealth? Hell yeah! If I can't build up more for my kids I won't work any harder for wealth than people like you would let me pass down to them. You have the 1st amendment to spout your crap, and I have the 2nd to protect my crap. And thus, we have balance. Don't try to tip it!

The problem isn't the concept of inherited wealth; I support these protests and wouldn't want to see it become illegal to pass some of what you worked for on to your children. The problem is that the American economic system, historically and in a contemporary sense, makes it much easier for the wealthy to get richer and the poor to fall even deeper into destitution over time. Then take into account that whites, even of the same income bracket, have historically accumulated loads more wealth than non-whites because of institutionalized discrimination, and of course that men have always earned more than women for doing the same job, and you'll see how the economic playing field is far from fair. Many people who are rich and male and white worked hard for what they have and should be able to pass some of that on, but at the same time so have countless other people who never had 1/50th of the wealthier white guy's chances. If we don't tax the wealthy, it just lets those injustices continue on to another generation, as we have seen in the last 30 years where the rich have gotten exponentially richer, while most everyone else has gotten poorer (and much of the middle and lower middle class has disintegrated into lower class). So in short, I agree that working hard should be rewarded and that people should be allowed to pass on a chunk of what they made, but we also have to recognize that a lot of that money was also made in a very unfair system and that passing all of it on will just continue the trend of economic injustice.

Indeed, however people do not get rich without the labor of others...at least before it was okay for the finance industry to make money out of air. Therefore, each person's opportunity cost must be taken into consideration. Historically, there has been NO room for advancement except for the wealthy and those connected to them. We are at a crossroads that is bigger than what we have currently imagines because money, that is currency, is not so valuable as the food, water and human relationships that our current economic order works to undermine. In this context, wealth accumulation becomes a wholly limiting quest for ALL people, no matter their economic status. What could people be doing if they were not relegated to having to work for money...money that has increasingly less and less value in the war torn and resource depleted environment we live in? We have enough STUFF, there are plenty of homes...why must we keep working to satisfy a bastardized ideology (capitalism)? We could be a society that allowed for people to work for a year then to travel for a year, one where people could actually felt good about the work they did because it is not simply for profit, but because it is a needed service for the individual and society. It is absurd that there are so many unemployed people because there is plenty of work that needs to be done, just not work that will be "profitable." We do not need more franchises, more retail outlets, more homes to be built...we need to create a society in which the individual can be truly honored by doing meaningful labor and work and having the chance to LEARN as well as be trained. The production consumption model is a waste of all resources, human and natural. We are drowning in a teaspoon full of water because we cannot imagine something better...and sure, there are those who don't want us to, but they'll come around!

I ask all of these questions to other people all the time. People give me strange looks when I question the existence of currency and the need to work for it. Most people cannot think outside of their conditioned beliefs of thinking we need currency in order to survive. There are many indigenous societies which thrive and do not use currency. Rather, they use a community approach to survival.

Yeah and I really wish I lived there. Must be a lot of fun. Can't understand why we as a society headed down this path to prosperity for the vast majority of us. Please let me get to the days of back breaking labor and 14 hour work days. I miss them so.

And it's really not that hard growing your own food. I know.... because I've done it before and will do it again in the spring. Your argument is an excuse for being lazy and unmotivated.... relying on companies to make your clothing, to produce your food, to produce all the shit you consume.

Um... yeah.... they live off of LIVE food that grows naturally and don't farm. Maybe if you educated yourself about it, you'd know that. Anyway, if people were not so selfish as they are currently, people could work together to grow food to sustain a community of people.... but most people are far too greedy for that. They have to have a tool for power over others in order to feel good about themselves.... that tool being money.

And you really believe that this type of existence could sustain 7 Billion people on this planet? Just think about that concept for a second will you? Throughout history we have been unable to all get along at any time. But now we will. We will all love each and other and share the fruits of our labor equally and blah blah blah. I'm sorry but that is pure fantasy and what the end of wall street has to do with it is beyond me. If you want chaos and riots, just close all the banks for a while and see where that gets us. After the stores were all looted and money was worthless, I hope you have a gun to protect what little property you have left. Your Utopia lasts until your neighbor gets hungry and desperate.

The first and second amendments are not so shallow as to protect a persons' right to "crap," but to protect our collective right to civil society and to promoting the general welfare. Not to mention that we are not abiding by the parameters of straight capitalism, as that would promote actual fair competition, which is not what we have now. "Don't try to tip," what? I seriously doubt that you are apart of the top 1%....:) If you do not agree with other people's politics, that is fine, but arguing for the sake of argument is futile and promoting animosity is not what our country or our world needs. Also, having a broad middle class is the most sustainable economic relationship, as imbalances of any order will tip themselves.

Argument ad Hominem! Can't you just debate the issues logically? Is name calling the only tool left in the conservative arsenal? All I see is hippie this, and hippie that. No logic, no discussion, just scared white males spouting unintelligible crap.

I grew up in the Fayetteville/Ft. Bragg area. I lived there for 21 years and have experienced firsthand how difficult it can be to have dissenting opinions in that area. I applaud you for what you are doing and encourage you to keep it up. People will criticize you there, - you can be absolutely certain of that - but when it is all said and done you will come out of it stronger and more reassured of what you believe to be the highest truth and will carry that with you for the remainder of your existence. In solidarity, Reese.

Michael Moore's comments tonight on Piers Morgan are right on. Let's get the protests out from under the media brown out and talk about the issues. The protestors are thinking what 80% of Americans are thinking-- that the massive shift of wealth in the last few years has not been right, nor good, for the U.S. So what is the point of having the NYPD beating up on protestors? Let's have a democracy where we can solve problems together, not a dictatorship of the wealthy where everyone is expected to fall into line silently (or get maced). Let's create avenues to talk-- and real avenues of redress and remedies.

That's why we must arrrest and imprison people that won't buy health insurance. It's a democracy, not a republic. Get with it folks, a few blacks are doing good, I see them each day spending tons of money jet-setting. To bad Obamas voters can only hope for spare change

It could not have been said any better!! Great comment and spot on 110%!!! I can't wait until November 2012 and put all of my hope and change in to kicking Obama right in the ass!!! Here you go buddy...suck on my mandated health care!!!

Today I saw a true miracle: the biggest news paper in Finland actually published information about this event. For the first time I saw a Finnish mainstream media talking about this. I wish I could be there with everyone.

Hopefully with a few more days you'll really be able to impress the media even more and maybe even make people think about capitalism. Good job, keep up the good work!

Do you understand his arguments, or does Hezbollah equal bad because someone told you to think so? His argument is built on evidence, not a blind hate of Israel. If anything, he has been one of the most vocal persons for peace between the two states.

The youth have witnessed their futures snatched away by greed, right before their eyes. They look around and see none of their fellow constituents inerested in having Congress protect it for them. They see voter-suppression laws being passed, anti-union and anti-middle class legislation at the state level, the costly privatization of our government programs, the attempt to take away their social programs by putting them into the hands of Wall Street. They are literally fighting for the chance at the American dream and they deserve a shot at it. They deserve a system that is not rigged for the smallest constituancy and one that appreciates hard work and innovation and does not reward greed in favor of those things. We appreciate what you are doing, support and understand your concerns, and applaud your efforts. It is your moment to make a difference. It is always the youth who affect change.

Until Saturday I was disappointed not to see known activist faces other than Roseane Barr, then Sat saw Amy Goodman and Chris Hedges (one of my favorites.). I also saw support tweets from Noam Chomsky and Cornel West. Great to have this specific statement from Chomsky.

Absolutely! Great to have Noam on our side! He may be able to deny millions dead in the Holocaust, but even he cannot ignore the 10's to 100's of people in our movement! We need more people with credibility like his!

If you have actually ever read any of Noam Chomsky's work or listened to an interview with him, you would know that he doesn't deny the Holocaust in the least. Years ago he defended the right of a French historian, who was brought up on civil charges for his views, to deny the Holocaust. That's not a person I'd care much to defend, but it's totally different from actually denying it yourself. In talking about the Holocaust he has said things like: “The Nazis broke new ground with industrialised genocide,” and "I described the Holocaust years ago as the most fantastic outburst of insanity in human history." Denying the Holocaust and defending someone's right of free speech to deny the Holocaust are two very different things. Here's a link to one of his interviews:
http://www.chomsky.info/books/dissent01.htm

Occupy Wall St. is nothing but a vanity campaign with no teeth and unless it resorts to blocking traffic every week day during business hours it will be nothing but squirrel getting crushed by a Mac Truck on the interstate. I can no longer spend my time or money on a campaign that will accomplish nothing. Good luck on your learning curve but I'm out.

Corporations do not have absolute economic rights. They are not superior organisms.

Citizens, businesses and corporations must pay a progressive tax, based on the amount of services they receive from the Government.

For example, if you are manufacturing overseas, you are using the services of our Navy to protect your ships in the shipping lanes. You must pay for this, to the degree that you use it. If you own property overseas, you must pay for the military exercises required to maintain your ownership of this property. If you gain trade-agreements, you must pay the expenses incurred, again to the degree that you use it.

If you think this might be difficult to enumerate, you are correct. It would probably employ many, many accountants and analysts.

But it would also create a large pool of money for the Government to recapitalize our nation with the new wave of technology, which the corporations are hording and which technology and infrastructure they are resisting.

i have begun my walk to new york. i have made it from starkville ms to ripley ms. my next stop will be in Tennessee. if you see walking through your town i will be holding a sign and easily noticed chanting the whole way join me on this journey to spread the word

NBC covered the protests in NY tonight on national TV news (Sept. 26th). But they got one thing wrong. Said the protesters won't leave until they are forced to. No, the protesters aren't going to leave until Wall Street leaves.

I early 2007 the KBE (ETF based on a basket on big bank stocks) was around 60. Now it's less than 18. That's a 70% reduction in value. Much more than the average over-inflated house price has come down. Lehman is gone. Bear Stearns is gone. What's left? Or are you just equating Wall street with corporate America? Well I'm sorry but you are going to have to protest at a lot more locations than Wall St. to cover all the big corporations. Maybe you can head out to CA and tell Steve Jobs where he can go. Make sure you turn down your IPODs so you can organize your chants.

I'm so excited about this protest, I tell everyone and they all ask, "What are their demands?"???? I hope you'll post something large, simple, and concrete on your homepage soon, so other activists will join you. How about: 1. Tax Code Reset & National Dialogue; start from scratch, use the net for the best! 2. No Citizenship for citizens w/o bodies! 3. Absolute ceiling on any kind of interest rate, ie, forbidding usury. 4. Single Payer Healthcare

So another hypocrite philosopher wants to fight the power which is himself. How many students are paying for premium educations to go $200k+ in debt and join the unemployed. Why go to Chomsky's MIT when one can go overseas to Oxford for a third of the cost? If you believe you need a degree, get more bang for your buck and stop paying out of touch hacks like Noam Chomsky.

Great comments from Mr.Chomsky!
I hope that all the efforts of "the occupy " movement will be fruitfull. And I hope that the upcomming changes will happen in non violent ways !
The 1% who own and controll all the wealth ...those folks have a lot to loose !! The remain 99%..not so much !!
I'm part of the 99% and I know we will prevail!
Regards

Great comments from Mr.Chomsky!
I hope that all the efforts of "the occupy " movement will be fruitfull. And I hope that the upcomming changes will happen in non violent ways !
The 1% who own and controll all the wealth ...those folks have a lot to loose !! The remain 99%..not so much !!
I'm part of the 99% and I know we will prevail!
Regards

SOLIDARITY people, stop the infighting, which is playing into the hands of the 1%. Just think that each time you attack or criticize a fellow protestor/occupier that you've just done the enemy a favor. You know the old cliché "united we stand, divided we fall, " well, it really counts a lot for us and couldn't be more true.

You want a good example of solidarity? Take a look at the 1%. I doubt they attack someone for a spelling mistake or use their fellow bankster buddies for emotional punching bags!

Come on people, you got to FIGHT THE POWER, fight the powers that be! NOT EACH OTHER.

Certain politicians conspire with the use of hired thugs passing as union members to create havoc and division in the middle and labour classes. Money, real estate and work-ethics are steadily becoming worthless. We must be careful of those whose influence divides and ridicules any efforts to outlaw corporations illegal profiteering.

I haven't been following so closely with all of this so I would be lying if I knew so well what all this is about but all I have seen is people critisizing the rich for being rich. Guys, some are more well off than others, that is how life goes. Don't blame others for having what you don't have. Yes there's coruption in some places but a majority of these protesters don't seem to understand any of what is really going on. They all repeat back the same 1 or 2 sentences that they have been told

Also I don't think that Noam Chomsky has much to contribute. He is an extreme leftist that likes to stur up issues but never does what to solve them. Ranting is always a fun and easy way to blow off steam, but acting on a solution is to much work already

I haven't been following so closely with all of this so I would be lying if I knew so well what all this is about but all I have seen is people critisizing the rich for being rich. Guys, some are more well off than others, that is how life goes. Don't blame others for having what you don't have. Yes there's coruption in some places but a majority of these protesters don't seem to understand any of what is really going on. They all repeat back the same 1 or 2 sentences that they have been told

Also I don't think that Noam Chomsky has much to contribute. He is an extreme leftist that likes to stur up issues but never does what to solve them. Ranting is always a fun and easy way to blow off steam, but acting on a solution is to much work already

I haven't been following so closely with all of this so I would be lying if I knew so well what all this is about but all I have seen is people critisizing the rich for being rich. Guys, some are more well off than others, that is how life goes. Don't blame others for having what you don't have. Yes there's coruption in some places but a majority of these protesters don't seem to understand any of what is really going on. They all repeat back the same 1 or 2 sentences that they have been told

Also I don't think that Noam Chomsky has much to contribute. He is an extreme leftist that likes to stur up issues but never does what to solve them. Ranting is always a fun and easy way to blow off steam, but acting on a solution is to much work already

I haven't been following so closely with all of this so I would be lying if I knew so well what all this is about but all I have seen is people critisizing the rich for being rich. Guys, some are more well off than others, that is how life goes. Don't blame others for having what you don't have. Yes there's coruption in some places but a majority of these protesters don't seem to understand any of what is really going on. They all repeat back the same 1 or 2 sentences that they have been told

Also I don't think that Noam Chomsky has much to contribute. He is an extreme leftist that likes to stur up issues but never does what to solve them. Ranting is always a fun and easy way to blow off steam, but acting on a solution is to much work already

I haven't been following so closely with all of this so I would be lying if I knew so well what all this is about but all I have seen is people critisizing the rich for being rich. Guys, some are more well off than others, that is how life goes. Don't blame others for having what you don't have. Yes there's coruption in some places but a majority of these protesters don't seem to understand any of what is really going on. They all repeat back the same 1 or 2 sentences that they have been told

Also I don't think that Noam Chomsky has much to contribute. He is an extreme leftist that likes to stur up issues but never does what to solve them. Ranting is always a fun and easy way to blow off steam, but acting on a solution is to much work already

Too bad. Many american people, now screamed about their troubled economic system. Maybe they haven't heard of the Sharia economic system, which is the most fair and square system of economy available in the universe. Will they ever learn ? You don't have to be muslim, to run Sharia economic system. You just have to be honest, fair and trustworthy.

You are so right, Noam. To big to jail is spot on. big business has a sense of entitlement to the people's treasury, they have no qualms. It's ironic they shun the poor and the destitute for depending on the system while they do the same with their corp. welfare policies. Can you imagine, that as a business, big or small, will not just accept the old adage of the invisible hand of competition. Businesses today don't REALLY want to compete as a true free market anymore, they just want guarantees to NOT fail, and to be given money when THEY fail. What cojones man! I just don't understand their rationale overall. It's pure political theory at work. It's the only thing that make sense.

Tears of joy! The revolution has begun! I have waited my whole life to finally see this sight. I proudly stand with my fellow Americans in taking back our country and our freedoms. We will not be silenced any longer. This movement will sweep across the nation and the world. The 99% are awake now and aware the 1%. Thank you, America. You have finally woken up from your deep slumber. You have restored my faith in hope. Vive la revolutione!

The common thread to these protests is to stop the unparalleled hoarding by a very few in our country. I hope more light will be shone on the scale of this hoarding and how the financial/political systems are rigged to perpetuate the massive inequalities.

Swissmiss I haven't seen this much misinformation being spoken since WMD's. The banks were sitting flush with reserves because the fed created that credit out of thin air. Government regulators decreed they loan that money to almost anyone. So to catch you up so far, the fed FAIL. Do good regulations, which you guys are calling for, FAIL. Americans who had no business getting or paying loans FAIL. Next the bad loans you said banks gave out and sold off, is true, but they were sold off to willing government agencies who didn't care about price, risk, or profit, and when they bombed us taxpayers took the hit, so another government FAIL. Next, when companies started seeing bailouts happen everybody had their hand out so bad decisions were rewarded and good decisions werent, double FAIL. Capitalism DID NOT FAIL! It hasn't been allowed to operate because government from the left and right continue to try and manipulate it. Capitalism needs a restraining order against government. You guys need to put the blame on manipulation, not capitalism.

You make some good points, but I think there is a much deeper problem. It would be useful to make a distinction between the current economic crisis (eg manifested in the housing bubble, partly driven by easy credit and also private sector speculation), and what has been happening on a much longer timescale (mainly, massive accumulation of wealth - which is a fundamental problem in capitalism). I think the steady degradation of the middle class over the past 30 years is the main thing that OWS is about. The current economic situation just brought it to a head. I think we can all now agree that hiring cheap labor overseas so that we can purchase cheap goods is a bad practice for the economic stability of our country. Activists have been shouting about this for many years. But people didnt really start to pay attention until they started losing their jobs and realized that we cant actually compete in this race to the bottom (slave wages, zero regulations). In my view the longterm outsourcing and trade imbalances are what set us up to fail - and our consumer culture, which developed within that evironment. How we fix that problem is a open for debate. Certainly encouraging small businesses to thrive is important. To do that we need a healthy middle class and we need to stop catering to the whims of the giant corporations and the megarich. The only organized agency that can approach the level of power of the huge corporations lies within our government, which is the last line of defense for the middle class, if accountable to voters.

So glad to see you weigh in, Mr. Chomsky. This has been simmering since the Supreme Court decided to spit on the voters and be the political kingmaker in "Bush v. Gore." The simmer turned to a boil when the same gang of 5 decided corporations get to use the money they siphon out of our economy to concentrate political power in the hands of the powerful even more, "Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission." This intemperate behavior is backfiring in the boil-over. Even middle class lawyers like me have had ENOUGH of this concentration of power and privilege sucking the rest of the country dry. But it's not against "the flag." "The flag" is all the rest of us, too. Wall Street and Fox News and their ilk do not own our country, which the flag symbolizes - WE ALL DO. Let's stay focussed on getting power back in the hands of the people. No participation in elections at ALL for corporations is one critical step. The second is to tax unearned income (i.e., corp. exec. "bonuses" etc.) the same as the rest of hard earned wages. These two steps are absolutely necessary to change anything. Let's focus on those as clear, achievable messages, otherwise we lose this beautiful momentum.

Angels and ministers of grace save us from Chomsky a toxic fool that hands out edicts from his ivory tower.
MORON
However anybody real out there anybody real should be morally outraged that an evil woman stole millions from charity.
WWW.JUSTICEFORTHECHILDREN.ORG
CHRIS@CHRISHEPBURN.COM

I have two words for what is happening in America especially since 2000, the stolen election. Corporate "Fascism". That is why we are being told that corporations (Oh, sorry a capital C, Corporations) can do a better job than our government because leading Republicans are orchestrating it not to work and a lot of Democrat politicians like/need the corporate donations that the Supreme Court allowed but "You can fool some of the people most of the time but not all the people all of the time" thank goodness!

Here is someone that has been proactive for a loong time, informing us on true medical insights he has gained, I LIKE Doctor Mercola :
"Over the last 13 years I've been quietly trying to change the system, but with the corruption and conflict of interest so pervasive today, I've decided it's time to take it to the next level. Spearheading what may be the most daring venture of its kind, find out what lies ahead...Non-Profit "Health Liberty"

the only thing that matters right now is CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM, unless you get the big money out of politics, no change whatsoever will occur, this should be the focus of the protests, we need to have honest politicians that work for the public before any thing else can get done, campaign finance reform (ending corporate personhood, kicking the lobbyists out of the Washington) is the perfect starting point. It really is a no brainer that this should be the one thing we can all agree on. Because unless we do this, all those other demands that people have will never be addressed, not in a millions years.

As a member of the PRECARIAT who understands that we are the precursor of wealth, for without our consent and participation in the American Dream this Wealth and it's accumulation would not have been possible.......I thank you for these words of simple elegance.

Barack Obama is the M.L.K. of our day & will continue to bring the world together to progress it like never before. In my own way, I want to play a big part in this major place in our history. People need help all around the world. There's one song for everyone & everything! For Obama 2012, I'm inviting you to be in my global video series of celebrities, people of places named after Obama & Obama supporters singing the chorus of Obama For The World (world's Obama tribute song)! ITunes! For Obama's change & America's freedom! 50% of sales go to the finishing of the new World Trade Center, Occupy Wall Street & Obama For America.

"The wealthiest one percent [of Americans] have more financial wealth than the bottom 95% combined. When you have a situation like that, where one percent essentially not only own all the wealth, but own Congress, call the shots, are we really telling the truth when we call this a democracy?…

I'm a documentary producer working on one called "Big Money Means votes" anyone know how to get ahold of Noam Chomsky? I have some well-known folks interviewed and am including some interviews from your protest. If anyone has a contact to share please email me: scottspinucci@yahoo.com

What about Greece's problems? Wall Street must be at fault. Spain, Ireland, Italy, Portugal?? Wall St. also, I guess. What about the people that WILLINGLY bought homes and condos that they knew they couldn't afford. Wall Street again. Come on. The fact is that our unemployment rate fell to 5% because of the great housing bubble. Construction, mortgage, realtors, retail stores and countless other sectors benefited from cheap money and we are now living with the collapse of that bubble.
Our economy can still create jobs, but they probably won't be tied to housing. It will be something else. Ask yourself why Spain is having similar problems to us? Was fannie mae and Freddie Mac making no- doc loans there also? What about all of the Merrill Lynch, B of A, Lehman, Bear Stearns employees who for years were paid a large chunk of their salaries in now worthless or nearly worthless equities? Is there some secret slush fund making them all whole now? You all sound like the future communists in pre-revolutionary Russia. How did that work out for the masses? The only way to get what you want, to make things "fair" is for the government to forcibly redistribute wealth. A government that powerful will also have to take a lot of other things away from some citizens. One thing could be the right to do just what you are doing now.
Just remember there weren't many protests criticizing the status quo during the height of the Soviet Unions power. Not unless you like being sent to the Gulag.

This also is your revolution is the revolution of all by all and for all, a democratic revolution. Revolution is the moral, economic, social and political expected, do you have that fear?, Unios.Todos the highest share concepts and values ​​of democracy, the Constitution and the value of Life and Human Rights, which are being kidnapped System by the current economic / political / banking, a time to say enough! . We know that many global problems could not all be treated in different ways, more just, democratic and humane and that the only impediment is a decadent and corrupt system to which all assist with puzzled face and looking at each other while But we wonder this is so ...?, But ... you can not do anything?. Well if you can and the time to come now, do they have the Revolutions Stop avisar.Exigimos arriving without this system and start creating a new rethinking of how we progress as a society and as individuals first and to subject or use a new economic / political to serve the Company and the people.This only be done if the revolution becomes EEUU,UE and Global, as Global is the problem. Revolution is an endless and all claims by utopian we look, know that it is only the beginning. Citizens of the World Unite. People that believe that this is a matter of right or left, do not be afraid for your savings and put off the bands and chains and unite.

The Federal Reserve is where the problem began. The answer is sound money and a non-interventionist foreign policy. Please take a look at the principles that Ron Paul stands for and has never wavered from in 30 years if you care about this country. P.S. We are a Republic, not a democracy.

The Federal Reserve is where the problem began. The answer is sound money and a non-interventionist foreign policy. Please take a look at the principles that Ron Paul stands for and has never wavered from in 30 years if you care about this country. P.S. We are a Republic, not a democracy.

It's important to establish a mature level of discussion on these threads.
Don't respond to baiting by compromise dignity.
The world is watching so it's important to remain peaceful and dignified at all times.

What America needs is a culture change. Over consuming is a huge problem and is enabling these people and the destruction of our environment. Participation in the rat race is leaving people over-worked, unable to enjoy life, and putting energy into making someone else richer, while all along this energy could be put towards your own survival and meeting the needs of your community. A proposed solution: People have power. People can build their own homes with sustainable energy sources and grow their own food. Small communities can be developed. The support of corporations can stop. The biggest thing you can do to support this movement is learn how to build eco-friendly houses, (which anyone can learn) dispose of waste in a way that environmentally supported, use renewable resources such as solar and other methods to power your homes, learn about permaculture and how to use the land to your advantage, grow your own food, learn to care for animals. Do whatever you can not to be reliant on these people and corporations.

Continue to fight the good fight, don't let NYPD off the hook make them accountable for their actions by any means necessary. It does my heart good to see young people finally take a stand and demand justice. Pastor_LeClara_Whitlock_Lamed

It will do my heart even more good to see a NYPD officer say "batter up" with his night stick and get people out of fucking way so we can get to work!!! Enjoy jail and paying a fine that goes right back to the Government that you are protesting. idiots

you can make homemade armor to protect you from batons and rubber bullets should the need arise from sports gear (hockey pads, football pads, skateboard pads, baseball catchers pads) don't forget a helmet

mulitple layers of clothing helps too and keeps you warm

trash bags make great rain ponchos

trash can lids make great shields, line the handle with leather for comfort

baby shampoo works great for getting gas and spray from your eyes

buddy system

heavy work gloves will allow you to throw tear gas back at police or out of the protest area .....

This is what happens when the left infiltrates public education and indoctrinates all the young to collectivism. They don't even know what they are talking about or who put them up to this. These people are TOO STUPID to be doing anything. But, it is painfully clear that all they were taught in PUBLIC school was to rebel. I hope they all learn a very hard lesson, because their teachers and their schools, and newspapers like the NYT, haven't educated them to do or be anything but trouble. Pathetic.

Yeah, I'm sure all those Bankers/Lawyers/Grannies/Students/Cooks/Medics/Unions/TV Stars/... have NO clue what they are talking about. All those millions of people are too stupid and should get a job, especially the grannies. Thanks God super-smart people like you are here to save the world from those idiots that believe in this shit they call "logic".

It seems to me that the extreme rights need to go back to preschool when they're taught to share.

And maybe back to grade 3 when basic arithmetic is taught.

And once those concepts have been relearned they should research something called "The Social Contract" that they've used to their advantage, and now that they've "got theirs" they don't want to contribute to.

I think psychiatrists have a word for that type of thinking, but so do I.
Selfish.

I already contribute waaayyyy too much in taxes that I pay out of my paycheck every week. My ass hurts every time I look at my pay stub to see all of the money I have lost. But don't worry, I feel so much better when I go to a grocery store to see some mother with 5 kids paying in food stamps and then happens to pull out a wad of cash when it comes time to buy lottery tickets and cigarettes!!! Yeah, that is what and who I want my hard earned money going towards!!! You want me to give a little more just to let other people catch up to where I am at? Kiss my ass!! You work as hard as I have and so many other people and have and then you won't have to worry about people "sharing"...you will already have what you need. Selfish? You damn right I am. If I was paying zero taxes to all phases of the Government then yeah, maybe I should chip in some.

Right on!!! I "love" how the right criticizes people for protesting. Of course, they want people to sit back on their asses and let themselves get kicked in the face.... over and over again.... without fighting back.

Oh, and it's A-OK if their fanatical, psychotic religious extremist buddies protest abortion doctors and a lot more.... and then murder them.

United States change means changing the network system of global relations. The United States enjoys a great influence in the global system. So change the United States has global consequences directly. So Wall Street protests have global importance.

I would love to see occupy demonstrations at every college campus and in front of town halls across America. We don't need politicians who are bought and paid for by special interests to hold town hall meetings. Americans can do it themselves.

"There are many, many issues which the Charter does not discuss. We describe these as 'secondary issues'. The Charter is only concerned with the most basic primary issues of how we position ourselves with each other, our planet and Nature. Everything else is secondary to that.

Once we agree on these most fundamental rules, how we shape our world or conduct our society should be self-determining through an evolutionary process. Consider it like designing a better world from the ground up. A seed does not know how its plant will look. "

i have began my journey to new york i began backpacking today and have made it from starkville ms to ripley ms and from here i will be heading to Tennessee. along my way i have told every person i have seen about the cause and urged them to join in some way. i still have over a thousand miles to go, my hope is that by the time i make it i will go from being one person to being hundreds.

Did you use vacation time to make this journey.....no wait, let me guess...no job? So instead of trying to help our economy grow you are taking a long walk? Well thank you, I am sure that is going to help so much bring down the unemployment rate, foreclosure rate etc.... Inspire me please....fill out an application, help out families in need,......you keep walking. wow...how many people are with you now? Oh wait, we need to try and earn a living.

wow man i have been working i have been laid off because i was working for a small hotel owned by a local business man. i loved my job i got to work with my hands build and fix everything. i didnt make much but that didnt matter. now i have lost that job. why are you soo angry you shouldnt lash out at me or anyone without knowing the back story. im sorry your so mad at the world and i hope you the best'

While we are together, brothers and sisters, let us remember someone who has given us soo much. I say we pour out a 40oz. bag of cool ranch on the curb to remember the inventor of Doritos, Arch West. He lead a life devoted to fight our munchies

Corporations do not have absolute economic rights. They are not superior organisms.

Citizens, businesses and corporations must pay a progressive tax, based on the amount of services they receive from the Government.

For example, if you are manufacturing overseas, you are using the services of our Navy to protect your ships in the shipping lanes. You must pay for this, to the degree that you use it. If you own property overseas, you must pay for the military exercises required to maintain your ownership of this property. If you gain trade-agreements, you must pay the expenses incurred, again to the degree that you use it.

If you think this might be difficult to enumerate, you are correct. It would probably employ many, many accountants and analysts.

But it would also create a large pool of money for the Government to recapitalize our nation with the new wave of technology, which the corporations are hording and which technology and infrastructure they are resisting.

Corporations do not have absolute economic rights. They are not superior organisms.

Citizens, businesses and corporations must pay a progressive tax, based on the amount of services they receive from the Government.

For example, if you are manufacturing overseas, you are using the services of our Navy to protect your ships in the shipping lanes. You must pay for this, to the degree that you use it. If you own property overseas, you must pay for the military exercises required to maintain your ownership of this property. If you gain trade-agreements, you must pay the expenses incurred, again to the degree that you use it.

If you think this might be difficult to enumerate, you are correct. It would probably employ many, many accountants and analysts.

But it would also create a large pool of money for the Government to recapitalize our nation with the new wave of technology, which the corporations are hording and which technology and infrastructure they are resisting.

Just an example of the "profit over people" mentality of Corporate America: A juvenile secure facility with a medical staff on-site recently opened contract negotiations to the lowest bidder to finance said medical staff. The lowest bidder was a staffing corporation with zero understanding of the medical needs in the facility. The reason this company was able to bid lowest and get the contract? They cut the staff's pay by $5/hr and cut their medical, dental, and holiday pay. Things they were used to living with/by and it was pulled out from underneath them. These are people I work with.

To the trolls in these comments: go somewhere else with your negativity, you're not contributing, you're distracting.

We here in UT salute and support you. with any luck you will be hearing of our own protest in solidarity!

Um, actually... In the Church of Discordia ANYONE can be pope as it is the lowest position held. I am the Black Pope of Ogden, UT aka Pope Stiz. But further to the point, what does Peter-Hans Kolvenbach have to do with my comment on how corporate America is screwing us?

Hearing about the support and solidarity from the "big names" in social/political commentary is exciting, and reading everyone's comments over the past week are utterly inspiring. Let's do everything we can to prevent this movement/revolution from being a stillborn. We CAN be the force of change for a more egalitarian society!!

What worries me even more than the corporations from Wall Street are the naysayers and ne'er-do-wells who will take every little thing negative about your protest in an all or nothing attitude to hinder your success. It is increasingly difficult to love anti-protest trolls (The less obvious ones are just now incoming and will provide walls of text arguments) who are so attached to their chains or even so not really tied to any compassion. We need some very capable linguists and debaters to defeat opposing arguments... word for word. Before it's too late... please... please it pains me to see people fight you in such a cowardly and self-destructive way.

Bravo, and well said. Yet not pointing the finger to a failing US democracy is like avoiding the 600 pound gorilla in the room. While a ten-party system may be scary and even become controlled by the mob, a two-party system always ends up with the mob — on the inside. What we really need is a 3-to-5 party system that is stable, but not rigid. Only a real democracy can create good regulations for Wall Street. Money is man-made, so man is obliged to put good checks in place and that must be done through political institutions. Unfortunately, US Constitution is very strict/restrictive. Change to a better democracy is currently only allowed at City level, possibly allowed at State level, not allowed at Fed level. But let's get started, and change the way we elect City Hall. Winner-takes-all is elitist (18% of all eligible voters in this system is all it takes to form majority), and basically winner-takes-all says it all. Don't fight the system. Change it! #TakeCityhall

The middle class was an artificial idea used to divide the working class. There are two classes - those who work for a living and those who exploit the people who work for a living. The "middle class" is a figment of our imagination.

"The Government is Broke, and Broken. Hedge fund managers, investment bankers, and CEOs get trillion-dollar bailouts while Congress cuts assistance to the poor, the sick, and the 99% of Americans who make less than a million dollars a year. Tens of millions of jobless Americans watch their unemployment insurance run out while Congress nearly shuts down the country over a 3% tax on the rich. It has to end.

"We demand an end to the corporate welfare state, the culture of greed and corruption on Wall Street, the reestablishment of the Glass-Steagall act, and laws to shore up the hole in Our democracy caused by the Citizens United decision.

"We call for prosecution of the persons which caused the collapse of our economy and whose actions still have not been stopped. Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, and many others. We call for the realignment of the SEC, which refuses to do its critically-important and taxpayer-funded jobs.

"We who stand for peace, prosperity, and freedom demand a Renewed Deal between the American People and the government which should be representing Their interests, not the interests of the wealthiest 1%."

My suggestion is simply to get as many people as possible carrying signs saying "Reinstate Glass-Steagall now!” “Pass H.R. 1489 now!” Very simple, but it would draw attention from the proverbial highest levels. I can only dream of 500 T-shirts being worn with that message.

The youth have witnessed their futures snatched away by greed, right before their eyes. They look around and see none of their fellow constituents inerested in having Congress protect it for them. They see voter-suppression laws being passed, anti-union and anti-middle class legislation at the state level, the costly privatization of our government programs, the attempt to take away their social programs by putting them into the hands of Wall Street. They are literally fighting for the chance at the American dream and they deserve a shot at it. They deserve a system that is not rigged for the smallest constituancy and one that appreciates hard work and innovation and does not reward greed in favor of those things. We appreciate what you are doing, support and understand your concerns, and applaud your efforts. It is your moment to make a difference. It is always the youth who affect change.

Jail time is too kind. Hank Paulsen should be swaddled in a giant cloth diaper with those old fashioned safety pins and a baby cap and forced to perform modern ballet in times square. As Dean Baker has described, the people that are recruited to work in finance are coddled adolescents. It's time to stop coddling people and thereby encouraging them to do nothing of value for the rest of society.

Yeah, bring the millionaire celebrities...and when these hacks get there have them show you their W-2. Lets see what Moore paid in taxes or Oprah, Ellen, Tim Robbins etc....those conceded assholes used the same tax loopholes that every other rich person in this country used in order to keep the money for themselves. And they have the balls to stand there and protest the very things that they help feed into. Hey Oprah you wanna help?? Get out your fucking checkbook and give a little back. What tax bracket are you in? You too Michael Moore. What did you give back last year in taxes? How much you making off of the piece of shit book you are releasing? Nothing but a bunch of overpaid arrogant hypocrites!!!

I find it interesting that there is another group of people in our country who are considered (or at least considered themselves) as a group that is 1%; bikers in 1%er gangs, like Hells Angels and Vagos, meaning they are the one percent who live outside of the law....they are not the only ones.

Occupy Seattle stands (in the rain) in Solidarity!! Our presence even inspired a passer by to leave his "mark", this morning, by peeing on the federal building. Nobody got his name, he ran off too quickly, yelling Who is the terrorist?. Rent a cops providing security so far, they seem content to mostly hang out in the lobby watching.

Occupy Seattle stands (in the rain) in Solidarity!! Our presence even inspired a passer by to leave his "mark", this morning, by peeing on the federal building. Nobody got his name, he ran off too quickly, yelling Who is the terrorist?. Rent a cops providing security so far, they seem content to mostly hang out in the lobby watching.

Occupy Seattle stands (in the rain) in Solidarity!! Our presence even inspired a passer by to leave his "mark", this morning, by peeing on the federal building. Nobody got his name, he ran off too quickly, yelling Who is the terrorist?. Rent a cops providing security so far, they seem content to mostly hang out in the lobby watching.

Yes! Thank you for putting your name behind this movement and being brave as well to step out in public to support us. Together, together, together we will make this change and step together into a free world with more than enough for everyone. Blessings!

Glenn Beck can rally 100's of thousands of people, liberals mocked him when his show sank to around a million viewers. Now his new internet tv station has a quarter of a million subscribers, willing to pay $10 a month. The Wall Street Journal estemated his network may earn over $100 million. In Chicago, you number in the low 10's of people, in New York, low hundreds at best. You have no momentum, but you make me laugh! Keep up the good work, funniest stuff since Attackwatch.com

i am so happy that unemployed protestors are standing outside protesting people who are working, paying taxes, and trying to fix the economy which stupid people like you created by buying houses that you couldn't afford. have fun living in the streets while people who actually are doing something with their life and pay the taxes that pay for your welfare.

Its a lot of people venting their frustration. We all do it for different reasons. And Its easy to blame people who made a lot of money. Like in Germany, they blamed the jews for ruining the country. The conspiracy theories about wall street are silly like they screwed you personally on purpose. Its like me saying "all the protestors smoke dope" which is not true.

See "Inside Job" for info on how the 2008 financial meltdown was PLANNED and was done on PURPOSE.... by the Wall St. crooks and more who you support.... so they could get theirs and fuck the rest of us over.

Im sure it wasn't on purpose, and that will be the execuse. Money is the only thing that drives Wall St and obviously its past conspiracy or 20,000 people wouldn't be outside of Wall St protesting. Its time for a change and Wall St is a good start.

MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA USA: 11/11/11 We're electing a FLASH PARLIAMENT but we only have 45 members of micro-state parliament, and on 11/6/2011 we're electing the Mid-West Super-state Parliament (Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin) http://usparliament.org/ss11-6-8.php and we have 118 names but only 100 get elected.

Your name (or anonymous) may participate in multiple regions, we don't mind.

Thank you, today two Libertarians signed up. We're practicing for 1/1/12 when we kick off our schedule and try to elect up to 1000 names.

We need nominees and participants. One women wrote twelve planks to our platform eballot, thank you.

Please sign up to our New York Super-state Parliament with your name or avatar with the party/category of your choice. MSP Madonna [Icon] was nominated, we don't know if she knows, so we will remove her name should she wish.

yeah, just consider that a lot of these guys are unemployed because you Mr wallst made it that way, by evading taxes, by screwing them on their student loans and paying Congress to make bad laws so that you get your money even if they can't find jobs - more and more outsourced to countries which use virtual and actual slave labor... See, Mr Wallst, you should consider Occupy Wall Street as the albatrosses coming home to roost on your front doorstep. You fucked people over, stole their life savings, enslaved them to a lifetime of debt for trying to improve their lot in life, most to no avail. The finger writes on the wall: The days of your kingdom are numbered...

Did you know Noam has an estimated net worth around $2 million? And that he set up a trust to protect his assets from Uncle Sam? He is part of the 1%. I am not lying. Go to WIKI and see where he lives.

The youth have witnessed their futures snatched away by greed, right before their eyes. They look around and see none of their fellow constituents inerested in having Congress protect it for them. They see voter-suppression laws being passed, anti-union and anti-middle class legislation at the state level, the costly privatization of our government programs, the attempt to take away their social programs by putting them into the hands of Wall Street. They are literally fighting for the chance at the American dream and they deserve a shot at it. They deserve a system that is not rigged for the smallest constituancy and one that appreciates hard work and innovation and does not reward greed in favor of those things. We appreciate what you are doing, support and understand your concerns, and applaud your efforts. It is your moment to make a difference. It is always the youth who affect change.

They have...the other morning CNN showed footage of the violent crackdown by police and announced it as one of their "headline stories" MSNBC invited one of the protesters, his name is Kelly...can't remember last name. So they are starting to take notice.

I hope so, I don't have cable, I just get local news and there is nothing on this here in Georgia. Any inquiry I make at Huffington Post on the forums about it is deleted, I sent an e-mail to Arrianna Huffington and it failed delivery. So my confidence in the free press right now is zero.

Are you serious?? Try posting it on HuffPo's FB page. Laurence O'Donnell of MSNBC's "The Last Word" gave excellent coverage condemning the violence by the NYPD. Are you able to get AM progressive talk radio? Norman Goldman has been covering it on his show. You can google him and check out his FB page.

i am so happy that unemployed protestors are standing outside protesting people who are working, paying taxes, and trying to fix the economy which stupid people like you created by buying houses that you couldn't afford. have fun living in the streets while people who actually are doing something with their life and pay the taxes that pay for your welfare.

The youth have witnessed their futures snatched away by greed, right before their eyes. They look around and see none of their fellow constituents inerested in having Congress protect it for them. They see voter-suppression laws being passed, anti-union and anti-middle class legislation at the state level, the costly privatization of our government programs, the attempt to take away their social programs by putting them into the hands of Wall Street. They are literally fighting for the chance at the American dream and they deserve a shot at it. They deserve a system that is not rigged for the smallest constituancy and one that appreciates hard work and innovation and does not reward greed in favor of those things. We appreciate what you are doing, support and understand your concerns, and applaud your efforts. It is your moment to make a difference. It is always the youth who affect change.